Integrated circuits typically include transceiver circuitry having an equalizer circuit. The equalizer circuit may be utilized to reduce distortions in a signal propagating through a transmission channel. There are many types of equalizer circuits that have different structures and properties (e.g., linear equalizers and feedback equalizers).
The current generation of transceivers often uses linear equalizers to reduce distortion in a transmission signal. A conventional linear equalizer has its capacitance and resistance controlled by analog signals. Therefore, the analog signals may effectively control a transfer function associated with the linear equalizer circuitry.
However, analog signals are generally known to be more sensitive to signal noise generated by circuits that surround the linear equalizer circuit. Controlling the linear equalizer circuit with analog signals is also known to exhibit low bandwidth and heightened inter-symbol interference (ISI). The linear equalizer circuit also requires a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) as most of the circuits supporting the linear equalizer circuit are generally digital circuits.
It is within this context that the embodiments described herein arise.